Thinking about moving to Arizona

[maverick974]

Originally Posted by PaulieM

The inverse to your experience. Just yesterday wife was telling me about a co-worker, born & raised in the valley who moved to Oregon for husbands employment. She is miserable. Her description is yours, cold, wet, cloudy all the time, really wearing on her and looks forward to when they can move back to sunny AZ. So glad to be here, anytime of year.

I feel her pain. Oregon is absolutely stunning but you don't get much of a chance to enjoy it. Most of the beautiful pictures that you see of Oregon and/or Washington, I promise you, are taking in late July or August. The rest of the year is cold, rainy and windy. In fall, winter and spring, it rarely gets warmer than the low 50's. Add in a TON of rain and a LOT of wind and the cold just cuts through you day and night for months and months. I remember a few times when the sun didn't show it's face a single time in 3 months.

I'm SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOO happy I wake up to sunshine most every day here in ARIZONA.

[primegolden]

I agree that Arizona seems to have a lower cost of living than many other states. The rents in and around Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa were reasonable, for nice apartments in decent complexes. Plenty to choose from, since in the past 4 years, investors swooped in to buy distressed properties, and they are renting them out so there's a bit of pricing competition. Lots to choose from.

Arizona's also a great place to live, I think, because there are many cities and towns beyond Phoenix that have a lot to offer. Although I've never been Tuscon, I've heard it's a bit cooler than Phoenix in the foothills of the mountains there (Catalina foothills?).

I vacationed in Phoenix probably 10 times or so and visited friends in Scottsdale, and traveled up to Sedona, Prescott, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon, with other stops in between. I loved that it was considerably cooler out of the valley. However, you can't beat the convenience of the valley with everything you need right there (including some great medical care, like the Mayo Clinic), and the huge hub of an airport there, and jobs, which in your unfortunate case of disability may not be as relevant to you, but might be to your extended family. My only objection was the air in the valley bothered my throat. Maybe that was the pollution (it is a valley, with lots of highways) in combination with the heat and dryness. I also have to be careful to avoid strong sunlight due to health reasons. Anyway, if I were to move there, but still wanted proximity to Phoenix, personally I might wish to consider just north of Phoenix, like Carefree and Cave Creek, because of the mountain views ups there, and it seemed like the temperature lowered about 8-10 degrees in that 20-30 minute ride north. Probably it was pricier, too, because of those views.

Considering your disability, maybe living in Phoenix or Tempe or Mesa, would be the most convenient and affordable choice, plus you'd have the convenience of the light rail which is quite clean, inexpensive and keeps getting extended. If you want to go beyond the light rail route, you'll need access to a car. There are buses, but who wants to stand around waiting at a bus stop in that heat. The sun is scorching like a laser beam. Remember to bring your sunblock. Perhaps you could rent a a place with some greenspace close to your apartment so you can enjoy the outdoors under the shade of a tree.